The National Trust achieves this through the conservation and interpretation of heritage places it manages on behalf of the community and government of Western Australia, through education and learning programs, and through community consultation and engagement. From the beginning, the National Trust of Western Australia has been a community-based organisation. It was founded in 1959 by a group of concerned citizens who identified the need to promote heritage conservation. This group grew rapidly and included some of the most prominent citizens in the State. Some five years later a state Act of Parliament was passed which formally established the National Trust as an independent community based organisation. The National Trust of Australia (W.A.) Act 1964 can be found on the Australasian Legal Institute (Austlii) Database. The National Trust is a registered charity.